The present invention relates generally to an amusement device for preventing boredom in a traveling vehicle, and more particularly, is directed to a children""s traveling game or amusement device.
When riding in vehicles, particularly on long trips, children have a tendency to get bored very quickly. As a result, there is a tendency for the children to annoy and/or distract the driver and/or other passengers. For example, there is the common refrain by the children: xe2x80x9cAre we there yet?xe2x80x9d.
Although children take various board games, video games, coloring books, reading books and the like along for the trip, these items often do not hold the child""s interest and are thrown haphazardly about the vehicle. Further, with such items, the child is constantly looking down when playing or reading, which can result in nausea in a moving vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,899,177 to Sells discloses an automobile racing board game apparatus for play within a moving vehicle. In this game, the children look outside to find passing cars having the same color as his or her playing piece in a predetermined period of time, and then moves the playing piece by that number of spaces. However, this game has certain disadvantages. First, the game can only be played during the daytime when the colors of the passing cars are visible. Second, placement of the game in the vehicle can become cumbersome, particularly when there are three or more children in the vehicle. Further, this does not stem the children""s constant curiosity as to the distance remaining during the trip.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,280 to Love discloses a geographic game which can be played in an automobile, even during darkness. A map, for example, of the United States is placed on the board, and each player has a piece of string which can be connected to different points on the map by pins. However, this game becomes cumbersome, since it must be placed on a seat or a person""s lap to use. Further, the pins are small pieces that can become easily lost, and along with the string, makes the game impractical in use. Further, this does not stem the children""s constant curiosity as to the distance remaining during the trip. U.S. Pat. No. 3,642,191 to Roof discloses an envelope of transparent sheets with a paper sheet removably positioned therebetween. A strap is secured to the assembly for carrying the assembly. Thus, a person can write on the transparent sheets in correspondence with markings on the paper sheet, and erase the same for re-use at a later time. However, there is no indication that this could be used in a moving vehicle, or that it could be used as an amusement device to prevent boredom by children.
Further, this does not stem the children""s constant curiosity as to the distance remaining during the trip. U.S. Pat. No. 4,116,449 to Breslow discloses a game in which a playing surface has numerical indicia and an overlying clear sheet of acetate thereon and which can be lifted up to erase any markings made thereon. The players write on the acetate to connect dots corresponding to the numbers in order to create pictures. The object is to guess the picture that is being created before it is completed. This game, however, requires playing cards and a spinner. Also, as with the aforementioned games, playing of the game in a moving vehicle can be cumbersome. Further, this does not stem the children""s constant curiosity as to the distance remaining during the trip.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,343,474 to Caney discloses a game device having a paper with an erasable pencil markable transparent flexible plastic sheet that can be written on and when depressed by the pencil, electrically bridges two contacts to cause an LED to energize. However, this game becomes cumbersome, since it must be placed on a seat or a person""s lap to use. Also, it is very complicated in construction and use. Further, this does not stem the children""s constant curiosity as to the distance remaining during the trip.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,741,561 to Lenkin merely discloses a placemat having an erasable surface and a pocket in which a paper can be placed with games, puzzles, etc. This is therefore similar to the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,642,191 to Roof, but without any strap. Further, this does not stem the children""s constant curiosity as to the distance remaining during the trip.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,478 to Gatlin discloses a portable coaching device having a paper with an image of a playing field, and overlain by a transparent sheet that can be written upon by an erasable marker. The device includes straps with hooks that fit within holes of the board, in order to hang the device from a sheet of plexiglass. This device does not stem the children""s constant curiosity as to the distance remaining during the trip.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,258 to Kees discloses a reusable learning aid which is similar to U.S. Pat. No. 5,741,561 to Lenkin, and suffers from the same deficiencies.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an amusement device for use in a traveling vehicle, that overcomes the aforementioned problems with the prior art.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an amusement device for use in a traveling vehicle that will prevent one or more children from getting bored.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an amusement device for use in a traveling vehicle that can be played by only one child, or by a plurality of children.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an amusement device for use in a traveling vehicle that is not cumbersome to use.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an amusement device for use in a traveling vehicle that can be used in the daylight and during darkness.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an amusement device for use in a traveling vehicle that can be hung from the back of the front seat for use by children in the rear seat.
It is a yet further object of the present invention to provide an amusement device for use in a traveling vehicle which always answers the children""s constant curiosity as to the distance remaining during the trip.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, an amusement device for use in a traveling vehicle, includes a housing having a sheet holding area for receiving and holding a sheet, a transparent wall in overlying relation to the sheet holding area such that the sheet is viewable through the transparent wall, and a retaining section for receiving the sheet in the sheet holding area and for retaining the sheet from the sheet holding area; a mounting assembly for mounting the housing to a seat of the traveling vehicle so that the sheet is viewable by a person to the rear of the seat; a plurality of lights mounted in spaced relation to the housing and providing an indication as to predefined points on the sheet held in the sheet holding area; and an actuation device for actuating selected ones of the lights from a location remote from the housing.
A back light is preferably provided in the housing for illuminating a rear side of the sheet. Further, the plurality of lights preferably include light emitting diodes mounted to an inner surface of the transparent wall or behind the transparent wall, with the sheet including indicia thereon corresponding to the light emitting diodes. A front light for illuminating the viewable surface of the sheet may also be provided.
In addition, the transparent wall preferably has an outer surface which can be written on and then erased.
The actuation device preferably includes a plurality of switches, each associated with a respective light for actuating the respective light.
Also, the mounting assembly includes suspension members for hanging the housing from the seat of the traveling vehicle.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description thereof which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings.